Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
PART A: ConTRibuTion To ouTComes
ConTenTs
our Purpose 6
outcome: Compliance with sentences and orders is ensured 8
outcome: Re-offending is Reduced 12
outcome: Victims of Crime are supported 18
outcome: offenders are Managed safely and Humanely 20
outcome: sentence options are used effectively 26
Managing in a Changeable operating environment 28
Assessing organisational Health and Capability 29
our staff Profile 36
sustainable Development 37
A 5
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
ourPurPose
The Department of Corrections’ purpose is to improve
public safety. We do this by:
Ensuring that offenders in the community and in •
prisons comply with their sentences and orders.
This protects the public from offenders who threaten
public safety.
Delivering services to offenders that help them to •
address the behaviours and circumstances which led
to their offending. By doing this, we reduce re-offending
and improve public safety over the longer term.
By improving public safety in these ways, we reduce the
number of victims of crime in the community, both now
and into the future.
WoRking WiTH oFFenDeRs
Working with offenders is challenging, sometimes
dangerous, but immensely rewarding for our staff and
partners. Everything our staff do contributes to public
safety by ensuring that offenders comply with their
sentences and providing opportunities for offenders to
address their offending behaviour. In 2007/08, 55,626
offenders commenced a community-based sentence or
order. This represents an average of 34,373 sentences
and orders being served. In the same year we managed
an average of 7,864 prisoners.
Our work with offenders begins with our advice to courts
on offenders’ needs which assists judges to make
effective sentencing decisions.
Once sentenced, we work with offenders to assess their
motivations, needs, ability to comply with their sentence
and their risk of re-offending. This helps us to decide
what action is required to ensure offenders address their
offending behaviours.
We work with offenders to turn them away from a path
of offending onto a path where they can lead offence-free
and productive lives in the community. In this way, we
reduce re-offending and improve longer-term public safety.
We provide programmes to offenders to motivate them
to ‘face up’ to their crimes and to identify what needs
to change in their lives. We provide rehabilitation
programmes so offenders can address behaviours that
lead to offending. We help offenders identify their cultural
and spiritual needs, and provide services to offenders in
settings which recognise these needs. On release, we
support offenders to reintegrate back into society.
For prisoners, we provide advice to the New Zealand
Parole Board to help them make decisions about when
prisoners should be paroled, what conditions should be
applied to the parolee, and what support needs to be
provided to parolees once in the community. We then
provide the support required to the offender, and ensure
compliance with conditions (or take appropriate action
when the parole conditions are breached).
Throughout this process, we ensure that victims
registered on the Victims Notification Register are
notified of specific events relating to the offender who
committed the crime for which they were a victim.
Sections 5 and 6 of the Corrections Act 2004 set out in
more detail the purpose of the corrections system and
principles under which the Department must operate.
suCCeeDing FoR MäoRi oFFenDeRs
The large majority of Mäori are succeeding in all aspects
of society. However, Mäori make up approximately half
of the offender population that we manage. To succeed
overall, we must succeed for Mäori offenders.
Mäori culture supports strong, pro-social and offence-free
lifestyles. Reconnecting Mäori offenders to their culture
and providing them with rehabilitation services in
culturally appropriate environments support Mäori
offenders to stand tall in Te Ao Mäori (the Mäori world)
and Te Ao Hurihuri (the general world). This leads to
reduced re-offending by Mäori offenders. Further
information on how we are succeeding with Mäori
offenders is provided on pages 12 to 17.
ouTCoMes We seek To ACHieVe FoR neW ZeAlAnD
We work alongside our justice sector partners (in
particular the Ministry of Justice and the New Zealand
Police) to deliver a safe and just society for New Zealand.
Our specific contribution to this is to:
ensure offenders comply with sentences and orders•
reduce re-offending•
support victims of crime•
manage offenders safely and humanely•
provide advice so sentence options are used effectively.•
6
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
The following diagram illustrates how our outcomes link to the outcomes of the justice sector.
DePARTMenT oF CoRReCTions AnD JusTiCe seCToR ouTCoMes
A sAFe AnD JusT soCieTY
JusTiCe seCToR enD ouTCoMes
safer communities Civil and democratic rights and obligations enjoyed
JusTiCe seCToR inTeRMeDiATe ouTCoMes
impact of crime reduced
Crime reduced offenders held to account
Trusted justice system
CoRReCTions enD ouTCoMes
victimsofcrimearesupported
re-offendingisreduced sentenceoptionsareused
effectively
compliancewithsentencesandordersisensured
offendersaremanagedsafelyandhumanely
CoRReCTions inTeRMeDiATe ouTCoMes
eligiblevictimsarenotified
offendersacquire
employment-relevantskillsandqualifications
offenders’rehabilitationneedsareaddressed
offenders’reintegrativeneedsareaddressed
JudiciaryandnZPBmakeinformeddecisions
offenderscompletethecorrectimposedsentenceandorder
offenderscomplywithspecificrestrictionsand
requirementsofthecustodyregime,sentenceandorder
offendersarenotharmed
offendersaretreatedfairly
offenders’legitimatehealth,physical,cultural,spiritualandsocialneedsaremet
ouR ouTCoMes in DeTAil
Everything we do contributes to our end outcomes, which
are designed to improve public safety.
For this reason, we have structured this annual report
around our end outcomes.
The following sections outline in detail what we have done
to contribute to each of our end outcomes. For each end
outcome we explain:
what the outcome is about•
what success looks like if we achieve the outcome•
the outputs (our day-to-day work) which contribute •
to the outcome
ways we have contributed to improving the outcome•
the progress we made in achieving the outcome.•
The following outcome sections focus predominantly on
the work we did in 2007/08 over and above what we do on
a day-to-day basis. An outline of our day-to-day work, and
our performance in doing that work, is provided in the
Statement of Service Performance on pages 89 to 152.
7
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
ComPliAnCe wiTh senTenCes And oRdeRs is ensuRedEnsuring offenders comply with their sentences and orders improves public safety by protecting the community from the harm caused by offenders continuing their offending behaviours. It also provides an environment in which we can help offenders to address the behaviours and circumstances that led them to commit crime.
outcome:
suCCess in THis ouTCoMe is WHen oFFenDeRs:
complete their sentences •
comply with the restrictions of their sentences •
are positively motivated to comply with their •
sentences
experience appropriate consequences when they •
do not comply
are treated fairly •
in the case of prisons, are incarcerated in a safe, •
secure and humane environment.
ouR ConTRiBuTion To THis ouTCoMe
We group the services we deliver on a day-to-day basis
as output classes, which in turn are linked with our
outcomes. Output classes that contribute to ensuring
compliance with sentences and orders include:
Output Class 2: Community-based Sentences •
and Orders.
Output Class 3: Custody of Remand Prisoners. •
Output Class 4: Escorts and Custodial Supervision. •
Output Class 5: Custodial Services. •
Output Class 8: Services to the New Zealand •
Parole Board.
Further information on our performance against output
class targets and measures for ensuring compliance with
sentences and orders is set out in the Statement of
Service Performance section, on pages 89 to 152.
WoRking WiTH oTHeR AgenCies
As with all outcomes, we work with other agencies to
ensure offenders comply with sentences. In particular,
during the 2007/08 financial year, we worked closely with:
the New Zealand Police to share information and •
cooperate on the management of sentences and
orders served in the community. The Department and
the New Zealand Police take a coordinated approach
to deterring crime in prisons
the Ministry of Justice to exchange sentencing-related •
information, provide notifications of hearings, deliver
bail documentation and organising Visiting Justice
Services to prisons
the New Zealand Immigration Service branch of the •
Department of Labour in ensuring compliance with
revocation and deportation orders.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
8 ComplianCe with SentenCeS and orderS iS enSured
in 2007/08 we improved our contribution to the end
outcome of ‘Compliance with Sentences and Orders is
Ensured’ in the following ways:
signiFiCAnT CHAnges To CoMMuniTY-BAseD senTenCes AnD oRDeRs
In October 2007, a range of new community-based
sentences and orders were introduced as a result
of the Effective Interventions package, for further
information go to www.justice.govt.nz/effective_
interventions/home.asp
The changes provide a wider range of sentencing options
for judges to more effectively address the particular
needs of individual offenders, including two tiers of
non-custodial sentences: Home Detention, and Community
Detention and Intensive Supervision.
This means, in many cases, lower risk offenders
(as deemed appropriate by a judge) who would have
otherwise received a short term of imprisonment may
now receive a community-based sentence or order.
These changes have seen the number of community-
based sentences and orders increase significantly. On
30 September 2007, before the changes, we managed
31,022 community-based sentences and orders. As at
30 June 2008, this had grown to 38,806.
“Inoctober2007,arangeofnew
community-basedsentencesand
orderswereintroducedasaresult
oftheeffectiveInterventions...”
Not only have the numbers of community-based
sentences grown, but also the complexity of managing
a greater range of sentences and orders has increased
significantly. This has put strain on the capacity of our
Community Probation and Psychological Services which
has had to be managed whilst the changes were
implemented.
Leading up to the implementation of the new sentences
and orders, we published new operational policies and
procedures to support the changes. We recruited and
trained additional staff to meet the increase in demand
and arranged for them to receive the resources needed
to do their work well. Alongside this, we continued
to manage the increased number of community-based
offenders.
The challenges as a result of these changes will continue
to strain our capacity in the foreseeable future. We
have significant numbers of new staff who will require
supervision as they gain the experience required to
perform at optimal levels. It will take time for
the changes to be fully bedded into the organisation.
During this time of change, we have focused on ensuring
that our processes are robust, and that we apply the
basics of sentence and order compliance reliably and
thoroughly. The effective management of offenders,
and in turn the safety of the public, is critically dependent
on how reliably and comprehensively we apply these
processes and systems.
eleCTRoniC MoniToRing oF CoMMuniTY-BAseD oFFenDeRs
Electronic monitoring can be a condition imposed at the
time of sentencing or decided at post sentencing as the
most effective means of managing an offender and their
sentence. Voice verification technology (VVT) and global
positioning system (GPS) provide further options for
sentence management.
We trialled VVT and GPS tracking as methods to
electronically monitor community-based offenders’
compliance with sentences and orders. VVT recognises
an offender’s voice over the phone and can be used to
confirm an offender’s location at a given time to enforce
restrictions such as curfews. GPS can record the
whereabouts of offenders at any point in time. GPS
tracking is now available on an ongoing basis for up to
15 offenders at any one time. Further information on
the use of electronic monitoring is provided in Appendix 5
on page 171.
sMARTeR WAYs oF DeTeCTing ConTRABAnD in PRisons
Stopping access to items such as drugs, alcohol, cell
phones and other items that can be used for criminal
purposes is an important restriction applied to prisoners.
Keeping contraband out of prisons is an ongoing battle
for our staff – but one that we are winning.
A key initiative is to increase the number of prisons that
have a perimeter fence with a single point of entry and a
centralised visiting centre. A single point of entry and
centralised visiting centres makes it easier to ensure all
of those entering the prison are checked for contraband.
65 per cent of prisons now have a single point of entry,
and 50 per cent now have a central visitors centre. This
is supported by the continued introduction of metal
detectors, x-ray equipment, and vehicle check points.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
ComplianCe with SentenCeS and orderS iS enSured 9
During 2007/08, we continued to increase the number of
drug dogs available from six in 2004 to 12 in June 2008.
Drug dogs, along with increased surveillance and scanning
equipment, have led to a marked reduction in drug use
by prisoners. During 2007/08, 13 per cent of general
random drug tests of prisoners tested positive for drugs,
compared with 34 per cent in 1997/98. For more
information go to the ‘Strategy to Reduce Drug and
Alcohol Use by Offenders’ at www.corrections.govt.nz/q/
-strategy-to-reduce-drug-and-alcohol-use-by-
offenders-2005-2008.html
In a world leading initiative, we have also worked on
preventing prisoners’ access to cell phones, which is
an important factor in halting criminal activity being
coordinated from within prisons. Over the year, we have
enabled cell phone jamming equipment at Hawke’s Bay
Prison, Otago Corrections Facility and Manawatu Prison
preventing the use of cell phones in these prisons. A
temporary Micro-cell jammer has also been enabled at
Northland Regional Corrections Facility. The design of
permanent Micro-cells for Rimutaka and Northland
Regional Corrections Facility is in progress and the
planning, design and/or implementation of jamming is
scheduled at the balance of prison sites. As a temporary
measure, before jamming, we introduced handheld
detectors to detect the use of cell phones within prisons.
iMPRoVeMenTs in CRiMe PReVenTion
We are continually introducing new methods of
surveillance, including physical barriers, detection and
lighting systems, as well as more sophisticated means
of intelligence gathering. This has made prisons a safer
place for both staff and offenders, with overall reductions
in serious assaults, escapes and contraband being
achieved over the past five years.
During 2007/08 we continued to build our intelligence
capability within prisons to promote the prevention and
detection of crime. This capability is based on best-
practice models of intelligence used by the New Zealand
Police and Customs, and by overseas corrections agencies
in Australia, Canada and the United Kingdom.
We also introduced systems to monitor prisoners’
telephone calls to identify security risks and criminal
activities within prisons. This initiative has already
resulted in prisoners being convicted of crimes committed
from within prison. Further information on processes and
systems in place to supervise and control the monitoring
of prisoner calls is available in the Appendices on pages
169 to 170.
ouTCoMe inDiCAToRs
The Department measures its contribution to ensuring
sentence and order compliance against the following
outcome indicators:
escapes from custody•
general random drug screening test results by •
security classification.
We are further developing outcome indicators for our
end and intermediate outcomes which will link to the
Department’s output performance measures.
esCAPes FRoM CusToDY
Improvements in prison security have translated into
an overall decline in the rate of breakout escapes over the
past five years.
The increase in ‘other’ escapes resulted in a slight
increase in the overall rate of escapes per 100 prisoners
to 0.29 from 0.25 for the 2006/07 financial year.
Escapes
Rat
e pe
r 10
0 p
riso
ners
There were seven breakout escapes in 2007/08 compared
with eight escapes in 2006/07.
However, there was an increase in the number of ‘other’
escapes. The majority of which were related to prisoners
who walked away from their place of work while on the
Release to Work Programme.
Corrections Inmate Employment (CIE) and Prison
Services continue to work closely with employers of
prisoners on the Release to Work programme to ensure
there is minimal opportunity for prisoners to walk-away.
In the unlikely event that this should occur, the prison
and CIE are notified by the employer immediately.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
10 ComplianCe with SentenCeS and orderS iS enSured
Escapes by Type
Rat
e pe
r 10
0 p
riso
ners
The rate of escapes in New Zealand compares favourably
with other jurisdictions, as illustrated in the following
diagram.
Escapes – International Comparison
Rat
e pe
r 10
0 p
riso
ners
DRug usAge in PRisons
Improvements in the Department’s ability to reduce the
amount of illicit drugs entering prisons and to motivate
offenders to become ‘drug free’ has translated into an
overall decline in the percentage of positive general
random drug tests in prisons. Initiatives such as the
implementation of the cellphone jamming technology,
improved prison security and an increase in the number
of drug dog detection teams have reduced the supply of
drugs into prisons. Drug tests and the implications of
testing positive, and the rehabilitation programmes
offered to prisoners, are reducing the demand for drugs
by prisoners.
During 2007/08 13 per cent of general random drug tests
of prisoners tested positive for drugs, compared with
34 per cent in 1997/98.
% of Positive General Random Drug Tests
Per
cent
age
The highest positive percentage of general random
drug tests of prisoners by security classification during
2007/08 was remand prisoners with 20 per cent.
Prisoners with lower security classifications have a higher
percentage of general random drug tests providing a
positive result. Remand prisoners generally have a higher
positive percentage than those who are sentenced, likely
due to the relatively short time in custody and prior
personal circumstances. The unclassified category is
those sentenced prisoners who are awaiting security
classification at the time the sample was taken.
General Random Positive Results by Security Classification
Per
cent
age
The rate of positive general random drug tests by
prisoners is comparable with other jurisdictions.
% of Positive General Random Drug Tests – International Comparison
Per
cent
age
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
ComplianCe with SentenCeS and orderS iS enSured 11
Re-offending is ReduCedWe improve public safety over the long term by reducing re-offending. Re-offending is reduced when offenders previously under the control or supervision of the Department go on to live an offence-free life. The number of overall offences and people returning to the corrections system will decrease and, in particular, we will see Mäori re-offending rates reducing significantly.
outcome:
suCCess in THis ouTCoMe is WHen oFFenDeRs:
develop offence-free lifestyles •
overcome drug and alcohol problems •
overcome propensities for violence •
maintain a positive sense of their identity and abilities •
find stable employment and accommodation •
build strong pro-social relationships within their •
family, whänau and community.
ouR ConTRiBuTion To THe ouTCoMe
We reduce re-offending by providing programmes
that help offenders to address the behaviours and
circumstances that led to their offending. The first
step is to assess offenders’ needs, and then to match
programmes with those needs.
Output classes that contribute to reducing re-offending
include:
Output Class 6: Prisoner Employment. •
Output Class 7: Rehabilitative Programmes •
and Reintegrative Services.
Further information on our performance against output
class targets and measures for reducing re-offending
is set out in the Statement of Service Performance, on
pages 89 to 152.
We provide programmes to offenders to motivate them
to ‘face up’ to their crimes and to identify what needs to
change in their lives.
We provide rehabilitation programmes so offenders
can address behaviours that lead to offending, such
as drug and alcohol problems, violence and managing
relationships. We help offenders identify their cultural
and spiritual needs, and provide services to offenders
in settings which recognise these needs. Appendix 1
provides a full list of rehabilitation programmes that
we provide to offenders.
We support offenders to reintegrate into society by
promoting continued contact between offenders and their
family/whänau, providing offenders with employment-
related skills and experience, skills in budgeting, parenting
and relationships, and facilitating access to appropriate
housing, work and supportive people. Appendix 1 provides
a full list of reintegration programmes that we provide
to offenders.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
12 re-offending iS reduCed
Our day-to-day interactions with offenders are also
opportunities to have a positive influence and to help
offenders to build their abilities to stop offending.
Achievements in relation to reducing re-offending are
assessed through the use of two measures, the Recidivism
Index (RI) and the Rehabilitation Quotient (RQ). Further
information on the results of these measures is provided
in Appendix 3.
WoRking WiTH oTHeR AgenCies
As with all outcomes, we work with other agencies and
community groups to meet the challenge of reducing
re-offending. In particular, over the 2007/08 financial
year, we worked closely with:
the Ministry of Social Development to report and •
address child abuse and to manage sexual and
violent offenders
the New Zealand Police, the Ministry of Social •
Development and Housing New Zealand who are
parties to the Agreement for Sharing Information
on Child Sex Offenders. Under this agreement,
the agencies work together to monitor child-sex
offenders’ compliance with release conditions,
manage the risk posed by such offenders, and
facilitate their safe reintegration into the community
once released
the Ministry of Social Development on employment •
case management and broker services to prisoners
the New Zealand Police to address family violence, •
through initiatives such as the Family Safety
Team Project
a number of agencies on the Combined Law Agency •
Group to share information and resources to combat
organised crime in New Zealand
New Zealand Prisoners’ Aid and Rehabilitation Society •
(NZPARS) to contribute to a reduction in re-offending
by assisting offenders (and their family/whänau) to
address practical problems as they reintegrate back
into the community or into Home Detention following
their release from prison.
in 2007/08 we improved our contribution to the end
outcome of ‘Re-offending is Reduced’ in the following ways:
sTRATegies To suCCeeD FoR MäoRi AnD PACiFiC oFFenDeRs
Mäori and Pacific offenders have a disproportionately high
level of representation across all stages of the criminal
justice process. Reducing re-offending by Mäori and
Pacific offenders is therefore a high priority.
In 2007/08 we worked with staff and partners to
develop the 2008-13 Mäori Strategic Plan and the
2008-13 Pacific Strategy. These documents outline how
we will work with Mäori and Pacific offenders and their
communities to be more effective in reducing re-offending.
For further information on the Mäori Strategic Plan
and Pacific Strategy go to www.corrections.govt.nz/
news-and-publications/strategic-documents.html
WoRlD’s FiRsT PRison-BAseD FAle
We opened our first dedicated Pacific Focus Unit and the
world’s first prison-based fale (traditional pacific meeting
house) at Spring Hill Corrections Facility in November 2007.
“weopenedourfirstdedicated
Pacificfocusunitandtheworld’s
firstprison-basedfale(traditional
pacificmeetinghouse)...”
Vaka Fa’aola (the vessel bringing a message of hope and
growth) is a 44-bed unit for Pacific prisoners who will benefit
from the Saili Matagi violence prevention Programme
that is delivered in the unit. The Saili Matagi programme
combines a Pacific cultural model with Western group
therapy to help Pacific men change their violent behaviour.
eFFeCTiVe ReHABiliTATion PRogRAMMes
For rehabilitation programmes to work for offenders, they
must first have the motivation to change and address their
offending behaviours. Rehabilitative programmes help
offenders to address the behaviours and circumstances
that led to their offending.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
re-offending iS reduCed 13
During 2007/08, we changed the design of the Short
Motivational Programme to improve its effectiveness,
including the development of an extra session within the
programme. Staff were trained in the delivery of the new
programme and it came into effect in December 2007.
A rehabilitation programme for Special Treatment Units
(STU) has been successfully piloted at the Karaka STU –
which is being implemented nationwide.
We also trained our staff to work effectively to help
offenders’ rehabilitation. Changes were made to the
training we provide to facilitators of rehabilitation
programmes, this included new supervision processes and
completion of supervision reports. In addition we trained
selected staff in dynamic risk assessment to be applied to
sex offenders who are on Extended Supervision orders.
Further information on the rehabilitative programmes
and services provided by the Department are attached
at Appendix 1.
CAPACiTY oF DRug AnD AlCoHol TReATMenT seRViCes
We worked with the Ministry of Health to introduce
additional community-based alcohol and drug services
under the ‘First Steps’ plan. Over 2,800 offenders
received these services during 2007/08. We also
established a specialist alcohol and other drug (AOD)
offender team and extended AOD treatment services to
offenders in the community. We evaluated the treatment
programmes delivered to Mäori, and undertook feasibility
studies on establishing additional AOD services in the
lower-North Island and on dual-diagnosis community
treatment programmes for women offenders.
“thedepartmentestablishedtwo
newdrugtreatmentunitsatspring
hillcorrectionsfacilityand
rimutakaPrisonovertheyear.”
The Department established two new Drug Treatment
Units at Spring Hill Corrections Facility and Rimutaka
Prison over the year. These Drug Treatment Units are in
addition to the four already in existence at Christchurch
Men’s, Arohata, Waikeria and Hawke’s Bay prisons.
inCReAseD DeMAnD FoR ReHABiliTATion PRogRAMMes
Utilising funding received from the Effective Interventions
package we implemented a national plan to address the
increase in demand for our programmes, including
Domestic Violence programmes, Community-based Sex
Offender Programmes and Tikanga Mäori programmes.
Tikanga Mäori programmes have been shown to have a
positive effect in the rehabilitation of Mäori offenders.
National contracts have been negotiated with sex offender
treatment providers to deliver a 12-month intensive
treatment programme, and a national approach was
adopted for contracting domestic violence and Tikanga
Mäori programmes to ensure consistency in multi-year
contracts. This has increased the volume of referrals we
can make to better meet the increased demand for these
programmes. During 2007/08, the number of new starts
for community-based Tikanga Mäori programmes and
Domestic Violence programmes increased by 29 and 24
per cent respectively.
We also piloted a Relapse Prevention Programme
(Maintenance) for community-based offenders who have
successfully completed a rehabilitation programme.
Programme delivery staff were trained in the new
programme and it has been implemented across our regions.
During 2007/08, we established a Special Treatment Unit
(STU) at Spring Hill Corrections Facility. STUs operate an
intensive programme for offenders who are at a high-risk
of re-offending.
QuAliTY oF PRogRAMMe DeliVeRY
We worked to improve the delivery of our programmes
by redeveloping training materials for the Medium
Intensity Rehabilitation Programme. We also improved
the way we monitor rehabilitation programme integrity
(i.e. consistency of delivery) in line with internationally
recognised standards and measures.
We reviewed the use of sentence planning and
management to identify ways to improve rehabilitation
and reintegration of offenders. This included a workshop
involving key partners in June 2008.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
14 re-offending iS reduCed
eMPloYMenT-RelATeD skills AnD TRAining FoR PRisoneRs
The Prisoner Employment Strategy 2006-2009
outlines strategies to increase the work skills and
qualifications of prisoners to help them find work
once they are released. For further information
go to www.corrections.govt.nz/q/prisoner-employment-
strategy-2006---2009.html
During 2007/08, employment growth plans were
developed for each prison to sustain the rate of growth in
prisoner employment. As at 30 June 2008, over half of all
prisoners were involved in employment-related activity,
up from 43 per cent in 2007 and 38 per cent in 2006.
More low security prisoners nearing the end of their
sentence (who met strict eligibility criteria) were able to
participate on the Release to Work Programme, allowing
them to work in ordinary jobs in the community during the
day to prepare them for their release. Up to 185 prisoners
at any one time were participating in Release to Work.
Prisoners also participated more in NZQA accredited
education, being assessed against a total of 37,563 NZQA
credits over the year compared to 20,350 during 2006/07.
This result reflects an increased focus on the quality of
training and an increase in the number of instructors
qualified as NZQA assessors.
We WoRkeD To ReMoVe BARRieRs To eMPloYMenT FoR MäoRi PRisoneRs
We identified specific employment-related training needs
for Mäori prisoners through analysis of achievement rates
to date and developed strategies and activities to address
these needs. Research was carried out on barriers to
Mäori employment and a number of significant issues
were identified. We have located more high-skilled jobs
in prisons where there are large Mäori populations and
motivated more Mäori prisoners to work in high-skilled jobs.
MoRe eMPloYMenT-RelATeD ACTiViTies FoR Young PRisoneRs
We also expanded employment-related activities for
young prisoners. At Hawke’s Bay Prison we identified
a number of opportunities for young prisoners to be
involved in employment activities. These include catering,
silviculture, horticulture, construction and glazing training
with a further scope to add forestry and carpentry.
Release to Work opportunities were also made available
to those young prisoners who met the required eligibility
criteria. The variety of employment related training
provided to young prisoners continued to increase at
Waikeria, Hawke’s Bay and Christchurch Men’s prisons
with subjects including catering, horticulture, joinery and
farming. The expansion of employment training to youth
will remain a focus in 2008/09.
We eVAluATeD THe eFFeCTiVeness oF ReHABiliTATion PRogRAMMes
We evaluate our rehabilitation programmes and activities
to test their effectiveness in reducing re-offending.
Research and evaluation projects in 2007/08 included:
completing evaluations of our Te Ihi Tu (community •
residential centre) and Tikanga Mäori programmes
commencing an evaluation of our Mäori Focus Units •
and Mäori Therapeutic programmes
developing initiatives to strengthen our effectiveness •
in contributing to reducing re-offending for Mäori
development of monitoring and evaluation processes •
for the Pacific Focus Unit at the Spring Hill Corrections
Facility, in line with the Pacific evaluation framework
contributing to the Ministry of Justice/New Zealand •
Police jointly-led development of a co-ordinated
interagency initiative for tackling persistent or
prolific offending
finalising the evaluation report on the intensive group •
treatment programme for dangerous and severe
personality disorders.
ouTCoMe inDiCAToRs
ReDuCing Re-oFFenDing
Progress towards the achievement of the departmental
outcome of “reducing re-offending” is assessed through
the use of two measures, the Recidivism Index (RI) and
the Rehabilitation Quotient (RQ). The RI measures the
Department’s performance in reducing re-offending as a
whole, whereas the RQ measures the ability of a specific
intervention to reduce re-offending. These indicators
provide one means for assessing the Department’s
performance. It should be noted, however, that the use
of reconviction data as indicators of performance is not
straightforward; re-offending, reconviction and sentencing
are subject to a wide range of influences, many of which
are outside the Department’s direct control.
A full explanation for the RI and RQ methodologies can be
found on pages 36 to 42 of the Department’s 2004/05
Annual Report.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
re-offending iS reduCed 15
We are further developing outcome indicators for our
end and intermediate outcomes which will link to the
Department’s output performance measures.
AnAlYsis oF RePoRTeD ReCiDiVisM inDex (Ri) FiguRes
Table 1 attached at Appendix 3, provides reconviction
rates as recorded over 12 months, for those released from
prison, or commencing community-based sentences,
during the 2006/07 (1 April to 31 March) year, and Table 2
provides the rates over 24 months for those released from
prison, or commencing community-based sentences,
during the 2005/06 year. RI figures are reported for
multiple categories of offenders, with significant variation
observed in reconviction rates between sentence types,
offence types and demographic groups.
The overall RI results for 2007/08, when compared to
the 2006/07 reported results, generally indicate small
decreases in average re-imprisonment rates for offenders
released from prison as well as for offenders commencing
community-based sentences. This is likely to reflect the
introduction of new community sentences in October
2007, which was followed by a fall in the number of
prison sentences being imposed.
RI Sub-group ComparisonsWhen examined by the sub-groupings for which RIs
are calculated, notable features for those released
from a custodial sentence (12-month follow-up)
include the following:
Males are re-imprisoned at a significantly higher rate •
than females (28 and 18 per cent respectively) and
reconviction rates for male offenders released from
prison are also higher than for female offenders
(44 and 35 per cent respectively).
The re-imprisonment and reconviction rates for Mäori •
(31 and 48 per cent respectively) are markedly higher
than those for Pacific and Europeans (23 and 38 per
cent respectively).
Re-imprisonment rates reduce by approximately •
two-thirds as offenders age (offenders over 40 years
are re-imprisoned at less than one-third the rate of
those under 20), and vary markedly between offence
classes (dishonesty offenders having the highest rates
and sex offenders the lowest).
Offenders released on Home Detention had •
reconviction and re-imprisonment rates substantially
lower than the average.
Re-imprisonment rates were higher for prisoners •
released from medium security classification (39 to
41 per cent) than those for prisoners released from
minimum security classification (23 per cent).
There is a tendency for shorter sentence length to be •
associated with higher rates of re-imprisonment and
reconviction. Offenders serving sentences of between
one and two years are re-imprisoned at a higher rate
than offenders with a sentence length between three
and five years (29 and 23 per cent respectively). This
is likely to reflect the fact that prisoners who serve
longer sentences do so because of convictions for
violent and sexual offences - offenders imprisoned
for these types of offences tend to have lower rates
of reconviction.
Previous reports have indicated that Pacific offenders had
significantly lower rates of reconviction than both Mäori
and European. This year’s analysis has been enhanced
through facility to exclude deported offenders. It is now
apparent that once deported offenders are removed from
the total pool of offenders, the reconviction rate for
Pacific offenders proves to be approximately the same
as that of Europeans.
Offenders serving community-based sentences had
significantly lower imprisonment and reconviction rates
than offenders released from prison. In general, most
of the trends noted for released prisoners above were
evident for this population also.
For both prison releases and community sentence
offenders, the 24-month RIs generally show a
predictable pattern, in that the 24-month RI figures
typically increase by between 35 per cent and
50 per cent over the 12-month rates.
These data are consistent with a great deal of research
on recidivism which indicates that the highest rate of
reconviction occurs within the first twelve months, with
the proportion re-convicted in each successive year
progressively smaller than in the previous year.
ReHABiliTATion QuoTienT (RQ)
Programmes delivered by the Department to enable
offenders to lead law-abiding lives are provided in
Appendix 1. These programmes have been designed
and implemented in ways consistent with internationally
developed best practice principles.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
16 re-offending iS reduCed
Research on outcomes from rehabilitative programmes
has shown that significant reductions in reconviction and
re-imprisonment can be achieved when interventions are
delivered to appropriately selected offenders.
The purpose of the Rehabilitation Quotient (RQ) is to
gauge the extent to which re-offending is reduced
amongst those who received a rehabilitative intervention.
The 2004/05 Annual Report contained discussion on
findings of poor outcomes from some of the Department’s
programmes. As a consequence of these findings, the
Department reviewed the entire rehabilitative programme
framework, including principles for eligibility and selection
of offenders. This work resulted in the termination of the
cognitive skills course ‘Straight Thinking’ which was not
performing as expected and extensive work to redevelop
others (e.g. the lower-intensity 100-hour programmes).
The Department has also progressively expanded the
availability of the higher intensity programmes, such as
the prison-based drug and alcohol treatment units (DTUs)
and generic special treatment units (STUs).
Rehabilitation data analysed this year was derived from
programmes which were completed between 1 April 2005
and 31 March 2007. Numbers of graduates from the new
medium-intensity rehabilitation programmes have not yet
reached sufficient levels to allow a meaningful analysis of
impact. RQ results from these programmes should
however be available in the coming year.
Positive results have again been recorded this year in
relation to the more intensive programmes. The RQ
score for the DTUs (reimprisonment, 24 months follow-
up) was 0.10, and for the sex offender STU, the RQ
(reimprisonment, 24 months follow-up) was 0.08. As
noted above, explanations of the RQ methodology and
the interpretation of scores are available on pages 40-42
of the 2004/05 Annual Report.
The 12 months follow-up reimprisonment RQ scores for
the DTUs reflect the performance of graduates of these
programmes during a period of rapid expansion. These
are low (around zero) which, while disappointing, must be
interpreted in light of the difficulties inherent to rapidly
expanding this service. Comparable figures for the sex
offender STUs (12 months follow-up) are however very
positive, at 0.11.
Analysis was also undertaken on the lower-intensity
rehabilitation programmes for which the Department
contracts services for community-based offenders.
The resulting RQ scores are also low, falling below the
level of statistical significance, but are mainly in a positive
direction. Given the relatively low costs of such services,
and the large numbers of offenders who require such
assistance, it is believed to be cost-effective to continue
referring offenders even though the level of positive
impact is modest.
These results once again confirm however that more
intensive programmes, delivered by specialist personnel
to offenders at higher risk of re-offending, are effective
in reducing rates of re-offending.
A caveat on the interpretation of RQ results is that
offenders managed by the Department have access
to a wide range of services, including educational,
employment and general living skills training, as well
as various supports to assist with reintegration to the
community. These services are available in varying
degrees to offenders irrespective of whether they have
also participated in the core rehabilitative interventions
(the specific impact of which the RQ attempts to
measure). At this stage the RQ methodology does not
account for impacts created by these ancillary services
in terms of recidivism outcomes. However, it is widely
accepted that the provision of education, training and
reintegrative support services can have significant
benefits in reducing risks of future offending.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
re-offending iS reduCed 17
suCCess in THis ouTCoMe is WHen:
we succeed in the broader outcomes of Ensuring •
Compliance with Sentences and Orders and Reducing
Re-offending
victims registered with the Department are provided •
with information in accordance with the Victims’
Rights Act 2002
registered victims are referred to specialist support •
organisations for appropriate assistance.
ouR ConTRiBuTion To THis ouTCoMe
The output class that contributes to supporting victims
of crime is Output Class 10: Service Purchase, Provision
and Monitoring.
Further information on our performance against output
class targets and measures for supporting victims of
crime is set out in the Statement of Service Performance,
on pages 89 to 152.
WoRking WiTH oTHeR AgenCies
As with all outcomes, we work with other agencies
and community groups to ensure victims of crime are
supported. In particular, the Department is party to an
Operational Protocol on Victim Notification, along with
the Ministry of Social Development, the Ministry of Health,
the New Zealand Immigration Service branch of the
Department of Labour and the New Zealand Police. The
Protocol sets out the services each of the agencies are
required to provide with the aim of improving services to
victims of offences under Part 3 of the Victims’ Rights Act.
We have a Memorandum of Understanding with the
New Zealand Council of Victim Support Groups which
aims to improve services to victims. Various support
agencies we work with include Victims Support, Women’s
Refuges, Citizens Advice Bureau, church groups, Rape
Crisis, Salvation Army and Neighbourhood Support.
ViCTims of CRime ARe suPPoRTedVictims of crime are supported by providing notification services to victims whose details have been forwarded to us by the New Zealand Police.
However, our most significant contribution to this outcome is our more general work ensuring that offenders comply with their sentences and orders and re-offending is reduced. By achieving these two outcomes, we protect the public from future offending, improve public safety and reduce the number of victims of crime in the community.
outcome:
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
18 viCtimS of Crime are Supported
in 2007/08 we improved our contribution to the end
outcome of ‘Victims of Crime are Supported’ in the
following ways:
We ConsisTenTlY PRoViDeD noTiFiCATion seRViCes
The purpose of the Victims’ Rights Act 2002 is to improve
provisions for the treatment and rights of victims of
offences. We ensure victims of crime are supported by
providing registered victims with information about events
relating to the specific offenders who have been convicted
for offences against the victim in accordance with the Act.
“thepurposeofthevictims’rights
Act2002istoimproveprovisionsfor
thetreatmentandrightsofvictims
ofoffences.”
The names and contact details of victims are provided to
the Department by the New Zealand Police. We provide
victims’ details to the New Zealand Parole Board,
Department of Labour (Immigration Service) and the
Ministry of Justice so they may provide notification
services required by the Parole Act 2002, Victims’ Rights
Act 2002 and Prisoners’ and Victims’ Claims Act 2005.
As at 30 June 2008, we managed 2,184 active cases,
including 1,959 victims, 1,455 offenders and six
immigration requests for victim details.
We ensure victims of crime are supported by referring
victims to other appropriate agencies and non-government
organisations for specialist support. Specialist support
agencies provide practical assistance to help victims
recover from the effects of crime. These agencies do
this by providing information, support and assistance to
individual victims, witnesses, their families and friends.
They also raise public awareness and recognition of the
effects of crime and promote victims’ rights.
A FRAMeWoRk FoR ResToRATiVe JusTiCe
During 2007/08, we began developing a framework around
the current arrangements, resourcing and funding for
restorative justice conferences in prisons between
offenders and their victims. Further development and
implementation of this framework will continue into the
2008/09 financial year.
ouTCoMe inDiCAToRs
The Department measures its contribution to supporting
victims of crime by the number of justified complaints
from victims. Justified complaints are those where
notifications have not been made in accordance with the
National System, which result from systemic or human
error. There have been four justified complaints since
2002, but none in the 2007/08 financial year.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
viCtimS of Crime are Supported 19
suCCess in THis ouTCoMe is WHen oFFenDeRs:
are contained safely and securely with minimum risk •
to public safety
are protected from avoidable harm and their •
legitimate needs are met
are protected from harm by other offenders or from •
self-harm
can fulfil their sentence requirement in a safe •
environment, particularly when undertaking
employment or work activities
are treated fairly with dignity •
are able to raise legitimate grievances and have them •
addressed.
In addition to this, prisoners are managed safely and
humanely when they:
are housed humanely and have their basic human •
needs (food, shelter, clothing) met
receive health care comparable to that which the •
general community receives
can maintain pro-social relationships with family and •
friends, subject to appropriate security requirements
have access to spiritual support •
have access to a reasonable level of physical exercise. •
ouR ConTRiBuTion To THis ouTCoMe
We have an obligation to keep offenders safe from
harming themselves and others during their sentence.
This is a challenge given we deal with people who may be
at a low point in their lives, or who may resort rapidly to
violence when facing conflict or frustration.
Output classes that contribute to managing offenders
safely and humanely include:
Output Class 3: Custody of Remand Prisoners. •
Output Class 4: Escorts and Custodial Supervision. •
Output Class 5: Custodial Services. •
Output Class 7: Rehabilitative Programmes and •
Reintegrative Services.
Output Class 10: Service Purchase, Provision •
and Monitoring.
offendeRs ARe mAnAged sAfely And humAnelyWe are required under the Corrections Act 2004 to provide a safe, secure and humane environment for prisoners and prison conditions are tightly regulated by law and international convention.
We also ensure that community-based offenders can serve their sentences in a safe environment when under our management. This includes ensuring offenders can undertake Community Work in a healthy and safe work environment.
outcome:
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
20 offenderS are managed Safely and humanely
Further information on our performance against output
class targets and measures for managing offenders safely
and humanely is set out in the Statement of Service
Performance, on pages 89 to 152.
We must ensure that prisoners have access to the basic
necessities of life. This does not mean providing luxuries.
Instead, it means providing adequate food, shelter and
clothing, adequate health care, opportunities to maintain
relationships with family and friends, religious, spiritual,
and cultural support, access to legal advisers and
statutory visitors, access to information and education,
and access to a reasonable level of physical exercise.
“wemustensurethatprisoners
haveaccesstothebasic
necessitiesoflife.”
We implement and monitor the following strategies
as part of our obligation to manage offenders safely
and humanely:
New Zealand Action Plan for Human Rights •
2005-2010
Youth Development Strategy Aotearoa 2002•
New Zealand Suicide Prevention Strategy 2006-2016.•
In the unfortunate circumstance that a significant event
(such as a death) occurs in prison, the Inspectors of
Corrections complete a full independent investigation.
Prison staff are also trained to minimise incidents of
self-harm by prisoners, including suicide and drug
overdoses. Prisoners identified as being at risk of
self-harm are actively managed to prevent as many
incidents as possible. During 2007/08 the Inspectors
completed 14 full investigations of significant prison
incidents, most of which related to deaths in custody.
WoRking WiTH oTHeR AgenCies
As with all outcomes, we work with other agencies and
community groups to ensure offenders are managed
safely, securely and humanely. In particular, during the
2007/08 financial year, we worked with:
the Offender-Related Health Action Group with the •
Ministry of Health. This group’s aim is to address the
health issues of offenders by ensuring they receive a
standard of health care and access to health services
that is equivalent to that of the general population
the Ministry of Social Development to ensure the safe •
and humane management of the custody of young
offenders. In addition, we work with the Ministry
of Youth Development to ensure prison policy and
procedures regarding young offenders comply with
the United Nations Convention on the Rights of
the Child
the Office of the Ombudsmen, which is being enhanced •
to provide increased independent oversight of prisons,
including the investigation of serious incidents and the
undertaking of reviews of systemic issues identified
during visits or following complaints and incidents.
in 2007/08 we improved our contribution to the end
outcome of ‘Offenders are Managed Safely and Humanely’
in the following ways:
We oPeneD A neW AT Risk uniT
We opened a new At Risk Unit in Hawke’s Bay Prison in
January 2008, bringing the total number of At Risk Units
in prisons to 14. The new 13-bed unit is designed to help
better manage prisoners at risk of harming themselves. It
is staffed by on-site registered nurses with mental health
training, a forensic nurse from the Hawke’s Bay District
Health Board and a psychiatrist who visits weekly. Two
forensic personnel from the Tairawhiti District Health
Board will also make twice-weekly visits to the prisoners.
A neW FRAMeWoRk FoR PRisoneRs WiTH MulTiPle AnD CoMPlex neeDs
We began developing a new framework for managing
prisoners with severely aberrant behaviour (multiple and
complex needs) in prisons. We have completed an
analysis of information, including samples of community-
based and prison-based offenders identified as having
multiple and complex needs. Whilst there are few clinical
options available for people with severe personality
disorders, forensic psychiatric expertise is crucial to
prison custodial staff being able to safely and effectively
manage these offenders, particularly as they have
complicating co-occurring disorders.
neW WAYs oF MAnAging ViolenT oFFenDeRs
Keeping offenders and staff safe from harm is a priority
for us – both in prisons and in the community.
Community Probation staff are trained in appropriate and
safe ways to intervene in preventing violence, including
how to refer to specialist agencies. We are currently
piloting an assessment approach to be used by Probation
Officers to monitor dynamic risk factors in offenders,
particularly violent offenders. From the first contact
with an offender, our task is to establish and maintain
the security and safety of the community, our staff, and
the offender.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
offenderS are managed Safely and humanely 21
Prison staff are trained to work with prisoners to create a
stable social environment and to watch for early warning
signs of violence. If violence does occur, staff are trained
in de-escalation and approved control and restraint
techniques. Violent offenders make up a significant
proportion of the prison population, and in prison tend
to be more difficult to manage.
During 2007/08, the Department developed a draft policy
for the management of violent and disruptive prisoners.
The draft paper is being consulted on, and a final approach
will be agreed in 2008/09.
MAnAging gAngs in PRison
During the year, we reviewed our strategy on the
management of gang issues. We are providing support
to the Government’s focus on organised crime including
criminal gangs through the Department’s Gang Strategy.
To support the strategy, an Organised Crime Analyst has
been seconded to head office. A Secure Intelligence
Database was implemented and is providing intelligence
reports for operational managers. Organised Crime
Awareness presentations were prepared for staff.
“AsecureIntelligencedatabase
wasimplementedandis
providingintelligencereports
foroperationalmanagers.”
The Department’s Gang Strategy now falls under
the umbrella of the Government’s “Organised Crime
Strategy” and the Organised and Financial Crime Agency
New Zealand (OFCANZ). The Department is actively
participating in delivering Criminal Justice Sector
organised crime prevention initiatives. The crime
prevention structure and systems to manage gang issues
are in place and staff training is complete. The review
of the Crime Prevention Strategy is progressing and is
expected to be complete shortly.
CHAnges To THe WAY We TRAnsPoRT AnD esCoRT PRisoneRs
Following the death of a remand prisoner in 2006, we
set up the Prisoner Escort and Transportation Project to
implement the Inspector’s recommendations and those
recommendations contained in the Ombudsman’s Own
Motion Investigation into Prisoner Transportation.
Of the 13 Inspector’s recommendations, 11 which were
assigned to the Department have now been implemented
and finalised. The remaining two recommendations are
being led by the Ministry of Justice.
Of the 37 Ombudsmen’s recommendations, 22 have been
implemented, 12 will be complete in November 2008 with
the development of permanent vehicle standards, and
three recommendations are being managed in conjunction
with the Ministry of Justice.
During 2007/08 the project has made significant progress:
waist restraints were trialled and introduced with the •
contract for their production going to the preferred
manufacturer
fire-resistant seat squabs were implemented •
the core policy and procedures governing the •
transportation of prisoners were reviewed and
significantly amended and improved. This included
provision of specific guidance on what to do in
emergencies situations, and guidelines around
provision of rest breaks and food and water to
prisoners.
A safety review of the entire escort fleet (including
Chubb vehicles) was undertaken to identify any health
and safety risks from introducing prisoner restraints.
Training to support the prisoner escort vehicle folder
(a documentation folder containing procedures, checklists
and information for escort personnel) was conducted in
April 2008, and this included training on the separation
risk assessments and new process maps.
Options for the management of escorts into the future are
being considered to help establish and maintain consistent
escort standards. Permanent vehicle standards and
options for the future management of prisoner escorts
and transportations will be completed in November 2008.
A post-implementation review of the new prisoner escort
processes, including the introduction of waist restraints, is
underway and is expected to be completed by the end of
August 2008.
A neW PRisoneR PlACeMenT sYsTeM
Under Section 47(1) of the Corrections Act 2004,
the Chief Executive must ensure that the security
classification assigned to a prisoner reflects the level of
risk posed by that prisoner while inside or outside prison,
including the risk that an escape would pose to the public.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
22 offenderS are managed Safely and humanely
The Department’s Prisoner Placement System defines the
security classification system for sentenced prisoners,
describes the procedures to be followed for the security
classification system and provide guidelines for placement
of prisoners. The purpose of the security classification
system is to enable the containment of sentenced
prisoners with a level of supervision appropriate to the
level of internal and external risk that a prisoner poses.
During 2007/08, we progressively implemented a new
Prisoner Placement System in those prisons with
appropriate facilities. The new Prisoner Placement
System is currently operational in Auckland Region
Women’s Corrections Facility, Otago Corrections
Facility and Spring Hill Corrections Facility.
sTRuCTuReD DAY in PRisons
Structured Day aims to maximise prisoners use of unlock
time through their involvement in structured activities,
including offence-related intervention, employment,
education and reintegration, constructive and daily
living activities.
During 2007/08, the Department continued the multi-year
implementation of the Structured Day concept. The
Structured Day has now been fully implemented in
Auckland Region Women’s Corrections Facility, Otago
Corrections Facility and Spring Hill Corrections Facility.
We are now scoping how implementation at the remaining
sites can be achieved.
PRisoneRs’ ACCess To HeAlTH CARe
Prisoners are entitled to have a level of access to health
care comparable to that available to everyone else in the
community. Prisoners often have higher health needs
than the general population and health-related issues
have frequently contributed to their past offending
behaviours.
Every prisoner entering prison has their health needs
assessed and on-going care and treatment is provided
according to that clinical need. We provide primary health
care to prisoners, including primary medical, nursing,
mental health addiction services, dental health care,
public health and some disability support services.
Provision of secondary and tertiary health care services to
prisoners is the responsibility of the local District Health
Board (DHB). The prison health service refers prisoners
requiring specialist care and treatment to these services
under the same eligibility criteria as any other patient.
During 2007/08, we worked with the Ministry of Health
to determine the appropriate level of health services for
prisoners. It was agreed that the proposed timeframe
be extended so that sufficient consultation on the options
can be undertaken.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the
Ministry of Health and the Department of Corrections is in
place to ensure access to primary and secondary health
services for prisoners. During 2007/08, two protocols
as part of the MoU were developed. They relate to the
management of prisoners on the opiod substitution
programme and the management of actively mentally
unwell prisoners. The key issues around accessing
maternity care for pregnant prisoners is currently in the
final stages of resolution, with the DHB agreeing to pay
for or provide the necessary care.
ouTCoMe inDiCAToRs
The Department measures its contribution to managing
offenders safely and humanely against the following
outcome indicators:
serious assaults•
unnatural deaths•
suicides•
justified complaints.•
We are further developing outcome indicators for our
end and intermediate outcomes which will link to the
Department’s output performance measures.
THe RATe oF AssAulTs in PRisons
Improvements in managing prisoners safely and
humanely have translated into the rate of assaults
being relatively stable – an achievement considering
the increase in the proportion of violent offenders
increasingly making up the prison population.
The rate of serious assaults by prisoners on other
prisoners per 100 prisoners has increased slightly, from
a rate of 0.35 in 2006/07 to a rate of 0.38 in 2007/08.
However, the rate has trended downwards over the past
five years.
There were 30 serious prisoner/prisoner assaults during
the 2007/08 financial year. Nineteen of the assaults
required the hospitalisation of prisoners, while the other
11 were alleged sexual assaults, which are currently
being investigated.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
offenderS are managed Safely and humanely 23
Serious Assault – Prisoner/Prisoner
Rat
e pe
r 10
0 p
riso
ners
As illustrated in the following table, the rates of serious
prisoner/prisoner assaults compares favourably with
other jurisdictions.
Serious Assault – Prisoner/Prisoner – International Comparison
Rat
e pe
r 10
0 p
riso
ners
The rate of serious assaults by prisoners on staff per 100
prisoners remains the same as 2006/07 at 0.08 following
a downward trend over the past four years.
Serious Assault – Prisoner/Staff
0
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.1
0.12
0.14
2007/082006/072005/062004/052003/042002/03
Rat
e pe
r 10
0 p
riso
ners
There have been six serious prisoner/staff assaults in the
2007/08 financial year. Four of the incidents required
hospitalisation and resulted in the Corrections Officers
requiring time off work on ACC, while the other two
incidents were alleged sexual assaults.
As illustrated in the following table, the rate of serious
prisoner/staff assaults compares favourably with other
jurisdictions.
Serious Assault – Prisoner/Staff – International Comparison
0
0.10
0.20
0.30
0.40
0.50
2007/082006/072005/062004/052003/042002/03
Rat
e pe
r 10
0 p
riso
ners
unnATuRAl DeATHs in PRisons
Improvements in managing prisoners safely and
humanely have translated into a decline in the rates of
unnatural deaths in prisons over the past five years.
The rate of unnatural deaths of prisoners has continued
the downward trend of the past five years with 0.06
unnatural deaths per 100 prisoners in 2007/08.
There have been five unnatural deaths in the 2007/08
financial year, one less than the 2006/07 financial year.
Of the five unnatural deaths, four were apparent suicides.
Details of the fifth are subject to the outcome of the
Coroner’s inquest.
Unnatural Deaths
0
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.1
0.12
0.14
0.16
2007/082006/072005/062004/052003/042002/03
Rat
e pe
r 10
0 p
riso
ners
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
24 offenderS are managed Safely and humanely
1 Consequent on a request from the Assurance board, the definition of a justified complaint to an inspector has been revised and now involves any complaint that requires the inspector’s intervention in order to obtain the correct outcome for the prisoner. this new definition applies to any complaints received from 1 July 2005 onwards.
The rate of apparent suicides per 100 prisoners has
declined to 0.05 over the past five years.
Apparent Suicides in Custody
Rat
e pe
r 10
0 p
riso
ners
0
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.1
0.12
0.14
2007/082006/072005/062004/052003/042002/03
As illustrated in the following table, the rates of unnatural
deaths in prisons compares favourably with other
jurisdictions.
Unnatural Deaths – International Comparison
0
0.05
0.10
0.15
0.20
0.25
2007/082006/072005/062004/052003/042002/03
Rat
e pe
r 10
0 p
riso
ners
nuMBeR oF JusTiFieD CoMPlAinTs
The number of justified complaints to the Inspectors
of Corrections have declined over the past two years.
Further information is available in Appendix 4 on page 167.
There were 84 justified complaints to the Inspector
during the year, which represents 3.8 percent of the 2,223
complaints received.
Justified Complaints to Corrections Inspector as a rate per 100 prisoners1
Rat
e pe
r 10
0 p
riso
ners
The largest number and also the highest rate of justified
complaints related to the management of prisoners’
property. There were 23 justified property complaints
out of a total of 357 (6.4 per cent). The majority of these
concerned items lost or damaged during prisoner
movements and transfers.
Justified Complaints as a % of Total Complaints
Per
cent
age
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
offenderS are managed Safely and humanely 25
suCCess in THis ouTCoMe is WHen ouR ADViCe HelPs:
the judiciary and the New Zealand Parole Board to •
make appropriate sentencing decisions
the judiciary to impose sentences commensurate to •
the crimes committed, through access to advice on
risks posed by the offender and their suitability for
rehabilitation.
ouR ConTRiBuTion To THis ouTCoMe
We contribute to this outcome through the provision of
pre-sentence assessments and reparation reports to the
judiciary. We also provide a wide range of reports and
advice to the NZPB on the suitability of offenders for
release on Parole. In preparing reports for judicial
authorities, we actively liaise with the New Zealand
Police to ensure quality advice.
We also provide administrative services to the NZPB. The
NZPB is independent under the Parole Act 2002. It makes
decisions on the release of offenders from prison on
Parole and Home Detention. It also sets conditions
for offenders when they are released, and can recall
offenders to prison if they do not follow the conditions
set for them.
Output Classes that contribute to sentence options being
used effectively include:
Output Class 1: Information Services.•
Output Class 8: Services to the New Zealand •
Parole Board.
Further information on our performance against output
class targets and measures for ensuring compliance with
sentences and orders is set out in the Statement of
Service Performance, on pages 89 to 152.
senTenCe oPTions ARe used effeCTiVelyWe provide advice to judges and the New Zealand Parole Board (NZPB) on an offenders’ risk and suitability for rehabilitation. This advice helps judges and the NZPB to make appropriate sentencing decisions.
outcome:
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
26 SentenCe optionS are uSed effeCtively
in 2007/08 we improved our contribution to the end
outcome of ‘Sentence Options are used Effectively’ in the
following way:
CRiMinAl JusTiCe ReFoRM Bill CHAnges iMPleMenTeD
Following the new sentencing structure resulting from
the Criminal Justice Reform Bill introduced in October
2007, we revised our approach to the provision of
information to ensure that the judiciary receive the
necessary information to enable them to impose the new
sentences, and to minimise the number of sentencing
hearings required.
Much of the detailed assessment of offenders’ needs
will now be completed at the post-sentencing stage.
Assessments carried out at the pre-sentencing stage
are targeted towards assessing information required by
the judiciary to make decisions about the appropriate
sentence(s) and any special condition(s) to be imposed.
ouTCoMe inDiCAToRs
We are further developing outcome indicators for our
end and intermediate outcomes which will link to the
Department’s output performance measures.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
SentenCe optionS are uSed effeCtively 27
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
mAnAgIngInAchAngeABleoPerAtIngenvIronment
Public trust and confidence in Corrections is important
because it provides assurance that we are improving
public safety. Given the sensitive and sometimes
controversial issues we deal with on a daily basis, we are
never far from the media spotlight. We have received
some harsh public scrutiny in recent years when things
have gone wrong. However, the improvements outlined
throughout this report demonstrate that we work hard
to ensure that if a mistake is made, we learn from that
mistake and implement improvements to minimise the
chance of it reoccurring.
We have made significant steps forward in the area of
sustainable development covering many facets of our
work. These steps are outlined on pages 37 to 38.
We are now much better prepared to manage the impact
of an influenza pandemic. Well tested plans and
sufficient stocks of personal protective equipment are in
place which will help us to deliver critical services if an
influenza pandemic should occur. More details on our
pandemic planning is provided on page 34.
Change poses strategic challenges to the Department
that, if unmanaged, can potentially constrain the
Department’s ability to achieve its outcomes. The
Department manages its business, and implements
projects, to address these challenges to ensure they
do not compromise its role in improving public safety.
We actively managed a number of strategic challenges
during the year that were identified in the 2007/08
Statement of Intent.
With the rapid increase in the number of community-
based offenders, and the continued growth in the prison
population (particularly those with higher security needs)
operational capacity remains a continual challenge. We
have successfully recruited additional staff to manage the
increase in the number of offenders; however it takes time
for new staff to come fully up to speed with their work.
This inevitably puts pressure on the workloads of our
staff. Within prisons, new facilities that have been added
in recent years have only kept up with the growth in the
prison population, and future projections of growth in the
prison population indicate that the capacity within our
prisons will continue to be of concern. This is exacerbated
by the changing profile of our prison population towards
a greater proportion of prisoners requiring higher
security facilities.
We managed the introduction of a new range of
community-based sentences which saw not only the
range and complexity of sentences and orders increase,
but also resulted in a rapid increase in the number of
community-based offenders. Information on actions we
implemented to manage this can be found on page 9.
We improved the effective rehabilitation and
reintegration of offenders by reviewing a number of
our activities in this area, and implemented changes
to the programmes we offer. This work is outlined
on pages 12 to 17.
We expanded the work we do in the area of addiction
services. This included working with the Ministry of
Health to provide drug and alcohol services to community-
based offenders, and opening two new Drug Treatment
Units to provide services to prisoners. More information
on this work can be found on page 14.
28
Strong capability iS when:
staff express their understanding of their role in the •
Department and how they can make a difference
we see reduction in the numbers and lengths •
of vacancies
an increasing number of existing staff gain seniority •
and move into leadership positions
we have better integration across the Department’s •
Services, with less duplication and better information
flows
more staff are confident when working with Mäori •
communities, whänau, hapü and iwi
staff feel supported by the supporting infrastructure, •
including physical assets, information technology
and business systems and processes.
Assessing OrgAnisAtiOnAl HeAltH And CApAbilityIt is our people who make the vision real and who achieve our outcomes. A strong people culture aligned to our values motivates staff to make the best decisions by approaching their work with the Department’s outcomes in mind.
Our people capability needs to be backed up by good infrastructure – strong information technology, fit for purpose physical assets, and strong business processes and quality assurance.
in 2007/08, we improved capability in the
following ways:
we StreSSed the importance of leaderShip
The growth in offenders managed by the Department
means that we have had to recruit large numbers of staff.
Whilst new staff bring fresh ideas and enthusiasm, it is an
unavoidable fact that many of our staff lack experience.
Our work is complex and much of it needs to be learned
on the job. Many leadership roles require experience, it is
therefore critical for us to grow and support leaders
within the Department.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
aSSESSING orGaNISatIoNal HEaltH aNd CapaBIlItY 29
In May 2008, we held a Leaders Forum to launch the
2008-13 Strategic Business Plan, where a strong
expectation was set for leaders to work with their teams
to translate the key themes and ideas of the plan into
tangible actions. A key focus of capability development
will be motivating and equipping leaders to do this well.
We Took THe ‘Pulse’ oF THe CulTuRe AT CoRReCTions
Organisational culture comprises the attitudes,
experiences, beliefs and values of an organisation which
are shared by its people and groups that control the way
they interact with each other and with stakeholders
outside the organisation.
The Department’s aim is that its culture will be
understood and lived by staff, and will be recognised
as the core driver of the Department’s success. The
Department is currently working on defining the
organisational culture that will support the achievement
of its vision and outcomes as set out in the Department’s
2008-2013 Strategic Business Plan.
During 2007/08, we initiated the Culture in Corrections
project to develop practical strategies to improve
organisational culture, focussing on leadership and
management style, integrity issues and organisational
values, and how staff work with one another. The
Department has committed itself to identifying what
its weakest points are and improving them.
Following on from focus groups with staff, we conducted
a survey of all staff to gather their perceptions of their
workplaces. This has provided us with a snapshot of
where our strengths lie, but more importantly, areas that
we can work on to improve the Department’s workplaces.
Leaders across the organisation will be expected to
identify actions to address these improvement
opportunities.
sTRuCTuRAl CHAnges leD To BeTTeR inTegRATion
Over recent years, the Department of Corrections has
experienced unprecedented growth in the demand for
its services. The Department’s strategy for integrated
offender management and the continuing emphasis on
improving service delivery and effectiveness, has led to
increasing emphasis on the integration of functions within
the Department and an emphasis on doing what works.
During 2007/08, we implemented a major reorganisation
of the head office structure in order to realign functions
under a shared services model. We also implemented a
consistent regional structure across the Department’s
Groups and Services
Further details of the Department’s structure and the
role of each Service and Group are available on the
Department’s website at www.corrections.govt.nz/
about-us/structure.html
We sTRengTHeneD ouR CAPABiliTY To suCCeeD WiTH MäoRi oFFenDeRs
Whilst a large percentage of Mäori never enter the
corrections system, it is a fact that approximately half
of the offender population is Mäori. It is critical that
we work together with our partners to succeed with
Mäori offenders.
In 2007/08 we developed the Mäori Strategic Plan in
consultation with our staff across the Department. The
plan outlines how we can succeed with Mäori to achieve
the vision, outcomes and priorities of our Strategic
Business Plan.
We have a real strength in the fact that a quarter of our
staff are Mäori – one of the highest representations in
the public sector. We provide an environment which is
responsive to the needs of Mäori staff and provides
opportunities to improve the knowledge and skills of
non-Mäori staff so they can be effective when working
with Mäori staff and Mäori offenders.
During the year, the Chief Executive met frequently with
his Mäori Advisory Group for advice on how we can better
succeed for Mäori offenders. Staff also work very closely
with local iwi to ensure we are being effective with Mäori.
The Mäori Initiatives Pathway is a collection of
assessments, interventions, policies and support systems,
for both offenders and staff. Supporting mechanisms for
the pathway are a collection of policies and staff support
services not directly related to the offender management
process, including Kaiwhakamana Visitor Policy, Cultural
Supervision, Kia Mau, Te Reo Strategy, FreMO (Framework
for Reducing Mäori Offending) and the Whänau
Involvement Plan.
Managers who participate in the Management at
Corrections Programme are provided with specific training
in cultural awareness. This programme demonstrates
how core Mäori concepts can be applied in the workplace
to ensure we are responsive to Mäori needs.
We continued to implement our Te Reo Strategy – a four
year strategy to support and encourage staff in developing
their Mäori language skills. By building our Te Reo skills,
we can be more effective when working with Mäori – iwi,
hapü and whänau, in community groups, service providers,
other agencies and with Mäori offenders.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
30 aSSeSSing organiSational health and CapaBility
To support the development of Mäori leaders, we piloted
Amohia Ai – a mentoring programme for Mäori staff.
Feedback from recipients of the mentoring demonstrates
that they feel more confident and supported in taking on
the challenge of being a leader in the Department. There
has been strong support for the continuation of the
programme into business as usual.
“thenatureofourworkandthe
needforustobepositiverolemodels
foroffendersmeansourstaffmust
meetveryhighprofessionaland
ethicalstandards.”
We also undertook a review of our Mäori advisory capacity
and capability, to ensure that the structure, roles and
activities of our Mäori-related positions are aligned to our
strategic goals. Structural changes resulting from this
review will be implemented in 2008/09.
We CeleBRATeD ouR PeoPle WHo BesT DeMonsTRATe PRiDe
The Department’s values are known by its acronym
PRIDE. These values aim to create and maintain an
organisational culture that promotes the highest
standards of professionalism and integrity.
Professionalism.•
Responsiveness.•
Integrity.•
Diversity.•
Efficiency and effectiveness.•
The Chief Executive’s PRIDE Award is presented annually
to staff who demonstrate the Department’s values
through outstanding and exceptional actions and
behaviours. In March 2008, 16 staff received the 2007
Chief Executive’s PRIDE Award for their high standards
of excellence and effectiveness.
We sTResseD THe iMPoRTAnCe oF inTegRiTY
All public servants have a responsibility to meet the
standards of integrity and conduct set out in the Public
Service Code of Conduct, issued by the State Services
Commission in terms of its authority under the State
Sector Act 1988.
The nature of our work and the need for us to be positive
role models for offenders means our staff must meet very
high professional and ethical standards. Our Code of
Conduct is designed to ensure the Department’s standards
are not compromised by inappropriate behaviour that may
undermine respect for the Department and its employees.
During 2007/08, we established the Professional
Standards Unit, tasked with investigating rare instances of
alleged corruption and criminal offending by Corrections
staff, pro-actively identifying and acting on integrity risk
issues and providing training and education to
management and staff.
CHAllenging ReCRuiTMenT TARgeTs WeRe MeT
We recruited large numbers of staff to meet the growth in
the number of offenders that we manage, the introduction
of new community-based sentences and the commissioning
of new prison facilities.
During 2007/08, recruitment was required for two new
prison facilities; the Otago Corrections Facility and the
Spring Hill Corrections Facility. The Department was
successful in recruiting all the staff required to have the
Otago Corrections Facility operating at normal capacity in
mid-October 2007, one month earlier than planned. At
Spring Hill Corrections Facility, the recruitment was in
line with the planned build up of the prison population.
Our recruitment activities have been successful through
solid recruitment practices, teamed with innovative
approaches to attract potential candidates.
We inVesTeD in ouR PeoPle
Providing learning and development opportunities for all
staff is essential for ensuring the competent delivery of
the Department’s core business. Our priority over the past
five years has been to focus on the recruitment and initial
training of sufficient frontline staff to meet a significant
growth in offender numbers.
A significant proportion of our frontline workforce require
intensive training prior to deployment, and high levels of
subsequent supervision before becoming competent
enough to handle a full range of duties. Due to the
technical and specialist content of this training, it can
only be provided by the Department.
During 2007/08, we delivered a large range of in-house
annual training programmes to strengthen the learning
and development of our staff and continued developing,
reviewing and refining these training programmes to
meet the growth in the number of new staff.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
aSSeSSing organiSational health and CapaBility 31
we worked to reduce Staff turnover
With so many new staff, it is important for us to retain
staff with experience and skills that can only be learned
on the job. Overall, staff turnover for the Department has
remained relatively static over the last four years at 12
to 14 per cent. Further information on the percentage of
staff turnover is available on page 36.
During 2007/08, we implemented a number of initiatives
to reduce turnover rates including changes to terms and
conditions of employment agreed through collective
bargaining, initiating the culture change project and
improving management capability. A standardised
Department-wide exit interview process has been
introduced to improve our understanding of the factors
contributing to staff resignations.
Longer term, our work on the Culture at Corrections
project and the development opportunities we provide to
our leaders and our staff will contribute to minimising
staff turnover.
our commitment to eQual employment opportunitieS
We are committed to equal opportunities in all our
employment policies and procedures. Equal employment
opportunities include all areas of the Department’s human
resource policies, particularly recruitment, selection and
appointment practices, training, career performance
management, conditions of employment and the work
environment. All staff, regardless of gender, race, marital
status, age, disability, sexual orientation, family status,
religious or ethical beliefs, political opinion or union
affiliation, have equal access to employment opportunities.
The Department’s Equal Employment Opportunities
(EEO) Policy aligns with and promotes the Government’s
policies on equal employment opportunity detailed in
the EEO Policy to 2010: Future Directions of EEO in the New Zealand Public Service. This policy was superseded
by the Equality and Diversity: New Zealand Public Service Equal Employment Opportunities Policy on 21 April 2008.
reviewed pay and employment eQuity
A joint employer-unions Committee was established in
September 2007 to review pay and employment equity
issues within the Department, as part of the Government’s
Pay and Employment Equity Plan of Action.
The focus of the Plan is to improve pay and employment
equity for women throughout New Zealand and the
completion of these review investigations by all public
service organisations is an important first step towards
that goal. Pay and employment equity exists when
gender has no impact on pay and experiences at work.
The Review Committee concluded that for a large,
complex and geographically dispersed organisation, the
Department is positioned well in comparison to the wider
Public Sector, and its starting point for creating change
relating to gender equity concerns is a good one. Many
positive frameworks, policies and outcomes are in place.
Some areas for improvement were identified. In general
terms, the majority of these improvements related to
issues that were shared by female and male staff (such
as the availability of part-time work) but which impacted
more on women’s ability to participate within the
Department.
The Committee’s top five findings concerned work-life
balance, flexible working options, part-time work, issues
with the performance management systems and
administration staff.
The Department’s Executive Management Team have
developed a response plan, and actions in this plan will
be implemented beginning in 2008/09.
our commitment to health and Safety capability
We are committed to providing healthy and safe
environments for both our staff and offenders.
This commitment is demonstrated by the significant
improvements in health and safety results over
recent years.
These results are a product of our Health and Safety
Strategy 2003-08. Over the past year, we provided
training for Health and Safety Committees and staff
holding health and safety portfolios, trained our Health
and Safety team in internal auditing to the Accident
Compensation Corporation (ACC) audit level, participated
in a number of wellness initiatives, improved health and
safety information provided to staff, and introduced
consistent reporting tools.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
32 aSSESSING orGaNISatIoNal HEaltH aNd CapaBIlItY
We also established a central Health and Safety team to
improve the consistency of our Health and Safety systems
through providing specialist advice and information across
the Department.
We achieved primary status in the Accident Compensation
Corporation Partnership Programme, a status we have
maintained since 2003.
iMPleMenTATion oF ouR DisABiliTY PlAn
Each year we develop a Disability Implementation Plan
in consultation with the Office of Disability Issues to
contribute to the New Zealand Disability Strategy 2005.
During 2007/08, we established a Staff Disability
Network. This is a voluntary network for staff that have a
disability and anyone with an interest in disability issues.
The Network provides a forum for mutual support,
enabling staff with disabilities to share ideas and
experiences and promote equality for disabled staff.
We also improved our data collection process to record
the number of disabled people employed and made
changes to our website to improve accessibility for
disabled people.
ouR RePoRT on ReDuCing ineQuAliTies
The Department of Corrections is one of 13 government
departments required to report on reducing inequalities
(Reducing Inequalities: Next Steps Report to Cabinet 2004). For the Department, reducing inequalities means focusing
on the following government outcomes:
better health and reduced inequalities in health•
high levels of participation in education, and improved •
educational achievement
improved labour market participation, greater access •
to sustainable employment opportunities and reduced
unemployment
reduced criminal victimisation and violence•
cultural and ethnic identities are valued.•
These outcomes are all factors that drive reduction in
offending behaviours. Our day-to-day work with offenders
is focused on addressing these factors so offenders can
move on to develop offence-free, pro-social and
productive lifestyles.
Given the outcomes outlined above underpin our own
end outcomes, this Annual Report as a whole is in effect
the Department’s Reducing Inequalities Annual Report
for 2007/08.
uPgRADeD ouR inFoRMATion TeCHnologY
We have information technology and knowledge
management strategies that guide the management
of technology and information within the Department.
Our information technology direction is also influenced
by the wider E-government and Justice Sector
Information Strategies.
In 2007/08 we continued to develop the Integrated
Offender Management System (IOMS) to support the
Government’s Effective Interventions initiatives and to
improve decision-making regarding the separation of
prisoners during escorts. We are currently upgrading
IOMS to .Net technology so we can quickly build, deploy,
manage, and use connected, security-enhanced solutions
with web services.
We supported the implementation of the second year
of the new Justice Sector Information Strategy, with
a focus on technology collaboration and the quality
of information, including contributing to the identity
management initiative. The Department also proactively
ensured support and involvement in E-government
initiatives, with an emphasis on joint ventures and
procurement, and technology standards including identity
management and common networks. The Department
contributed to the restructure of the State Services
Commissions’ E-government unit and will be assisting
with implementing a shared Government Logon Service
in the coming year.
An internal Electronic Document and Record Management
System (EDRMS) is also being implemented progressively
as well as continual development of the Department’s
information assets. During 2007/08, the second phase
of EDRMS was completed successfully.
We MoniToReD AnD MAnAgeD ouR Risks
We use a formal risk management framework to identify
and proactively mitigate risks. This framework is based
on the Australian/New Zealand AS/NZ 4360:2004 Risk
Management standard.
Our internal control framework is based on the Committee
of Sponsoring Organisations model and employs a number
of separate assurance mechanisms, including the Internal
Audit and Inspectors of Corrections functions plus a
Professional Standards Unit that independently reviews
processes within the operational services and investigates
incidents and complaints.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
aSSeSSing organiSational health and CapaBility 33
Internal Control and Risk Management frameworks are
overseen by an Assurance Board of seven members,
including the Chief Executive and four external members
who are independent of management. The Assurance
Board is chaired by an external member and reports back
on its activities in the Department’s annual report. This
report is attached at Appendix 2.
PAnDeMiC PlAns WeRe sTRengTHeneD
A major emergency event such as an avian influenza
pandemic, earthquake, fire or flood or from a non-
emergency event such as a power outage or information
technology failure would have a significant impact on both
offenders and staff.
We have Business Continuity Plans which will assist us to
maintain business-critical functions and recover from an
event or incident where normal operations are interrupted.
In 2007/08, we improved our pandemic plans, distributed
personal protective equipment to frontline sites and
pre-packaged remaining equipment for issue if or when
a pandemic or health crisis arises. We also provided
pandemic-related training to many of our staff. These
steps followed our involvement in Exercise Cruickshank
- a cross-public sector exercise to test responsiveness to
a pandemic event – and an internal exercise to test the
effectiveness of our pandemic planning.
We ConTinueD To BuilD neW AsseTs To MAnAge THe gRoWTH in THe oFFenDeR PoPulATion
We manage over $1.7 billion worth of physical assets
across New Zealand. In recent years we have managed
and increased our assets to accommodate a substantial
increase in the offender population. The Department now
operates from 20 prisons and 111 Community Probation
and Psychological Service offices nation-wide.
In 2007/08 we completed the Regional Prisons
Development Programme, a ten-year programme to build
four new facilities incorporating 1,621 new prison beds.
This programme represented one of New Zealand’s
largest construction projects, with construction happening
at times simultaneously on four different sites.
The new facilities have been built at locations that allow
prisoners wherever possible to serve their sentence close
to family, whänau and other support networks. These
support networks play a critical role in supporting
prisoners’ rehabilitation and reintegration into the
community. The new facilities are located in:
Northland – Northland Region Corrections Facility •
(350 beds),
Auckland – Auckland Region Women’s Corrections •
Facility (286 beds),
Otago – Otago Corrections Facility (335 beds), and •
North Waikato – Spring Hill Corrections Facility •
(650 beds).
During 2007/08, we completed the commissioning of
the Otago Corrections Facility and the construction and
commissioning of the Spring Hill Corrections Facility.
The first prisoners at the Otago Corrections Facility were
received on 4 June 2007 and normal operating capacity
was reached by mid-October 2007, ahead of the original
plan of mid-November 2007. Spring Hill Corrections
Facility was officially opened by the Prime Minister on
25 September 2007 and received its first prisoners on
1 November 2007.
Since late 2006 accommodation projects have been
undertaken by the Department to cater for growth
associated with Effective Interventions. These projects
are underway to meet the demand for additional
accommodation in response to growth in staffing to
manage the growing community based offender
population.
“thedepartmentnowoperates
from20prisonsand111community
ProbationandPsychologicalservice
officesnation-wide.”
…AnD We ReCeiVeD APPRoVAl To RePlACe MT eDen PRison
On 14 April 2008, Cabinet approved funding for the
replacement of Mt Eden Prison as part of the Budget
2008 package.
The 120-year old prison will be replaced on the existing
site with multi-level accommodation buildings from 2011.
Parts of the existing Mt Eden Prison building will be
renovated and refurbished to provide modern office
spaces by 2013. Some of the building will be put
aside for possible public access as a historical site.
Preliminary site works started in early July 2008.
A number of buildings and facilities need to be relocated
or demolished before the main construction can begin in
October 2008.
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
34 aSSeSSing organiSational health and CapaBility
Mt Eden Prison and the Auckland Central Remand Prison,
which is on the same site, will continue to operate
throughout the construction period.
We iMPleMenTeD ouR CAPiTAl exPenDiTuRe PRogRAMMe
Capital expenditure is incurred by the Department in
accordance with financial delegations from Cabinet to the
Chief Executive through the Responsible Minister. We
comply with the requirements of the Public Finance Act
1989, State Sector Act 1988, instructions by The Treasury
and any other legislation governing our operations when
incurring any capital expenditure.
Our capital expenditure programme ensures that we
have the required capacity to meet demand and that our
physical assets are maintained to a standard so we can
effectively achieve our outcomes.
We FoCuseD on CosT eFFeCTiVeness
As a public sector entity funded by New Zealand
taxpayers, we are very conscious of our obligation to
utilise public funds efficiently and effectively. We strive to
maximise our contribution to outcomes with the funding
provided – thereby continuously improving the value we
deliver to the New Zealand public.
We monitor our efficiency, and consider this against our
effectiveness, by reviewing our performance in relation to
our outcome indicators (listed in the preceding outcomes
sections) and our Statement of Service Performance.
We also compare a range of indicators against
comparative international correctional systems. Many
of these international comparisons are included within
the outcome sections of this Annual Report.
We run a very complex business so developing ‘headline’
measures of cost effectiveness is difficult. However,
three that we do currently monitor are outlined below.
The cost per prison-based offender per day is an
assessment of the costs of accommodating a prisoner.
Cos
t
Cost per prison-based offender per day
The cost per prison-based offender per day has increased
steadily over the last three years mainly due to the
operating cost implications (particularly increased
depreciation) of the capital investment in building
additional prison facilities and upgrading existing facilities.
The cost per community-based offender per day is an
assessment of the costs of managing community-based
offenders. The introduction of the new sentencing
structure has increased the average intensity of
community-based sentences and orders and required
tighter management of offenders who under previous
legislation would have received a custodial sentence.
Given that the new sentencing structure was introduced
part way through the year, the average cost will continue
to fluctuate as we continue to build our capacity and
capability to meet the growing demand.
The cost per community-based offender per day has
increased by six per cent from $9.44 in the 2006/07
financial year to $10.04 in 2007/08.
Cos
t
Cost per community-based offender per day
The ratio of prisoners to full-time equivalent (FTe)
frontline staff identifies the number of prisoners for each
prison staff member and thus the level of staff supervision
available to manage prisoners in custody. Lower ratios
allow prison staff to provide better supervision and more
active management of prisoners. This improves security
and allows more interaction and interventions tailored to
individual prisoner needs and circumstances.
Rat
io
Prisoner/Frontline Staff
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
aSSeSSing organiSational health and CapaBility 35
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
ourstAffProfIle
improved from 16 per cent to 20 per cent over a similar
period of time, whilst the percentage of Pacific employees
is also ahead of the 2010 equal employment target
of eight per cent with nine per cent of Pacific staff
in 2007/08.
We improved our staff retention in the past three years
resulting in a significant decline in the number of staff
with less than two years of experience. Over a similar
period of time the number of staff with two to five years
experience rose from 16 per cent in 2006 to 28 per cent
in 2008.
2003/04 2004/05 2005/06 2006/07 2007/08
nuMBeR oF eMPloYees
Total number of FTE departmental employees 4,612 5,111 5,798 6,451 6,911
genDeR
Percentage of female FTE managers 31% 33% 32% 36% 37%
Percentage of female other FTE employees 35% 36% 38% 39% 39%
Percentage of all female FTE employees 35% 36% 38% 39% 39%
eTHniCiTY
Percentage of Mäori FTE managers 16% 16% 16% 19% 20%
Percentage of Mäori other FTE employees 22% 23% 21% 22% 22%
Percentage of all Mäori FTE employees 22% 23% 21% 22% 22%
Percentage of Pacific FTE managers 2% 2% 3% 4% 3%
Percentage of Pacific other FTE employees 6% 8% 8% 9% 9%
Percentage of all Pacific FTE employees 5% 7% 8% 8% 9%
exPeRienCe
Percentage of employees with less than 2 years
experience
22% 30% 37% 36% 33%
Percentage of employees with 2-5 years experience 23% 20% 16% 21% 28%
Percentage of employees with more than 5 years
experience
55% 50% 47% 44% 40%
Percentage of Corrections Officers with less than
two years experience
25% 41% 53% 47% 40%
Percentage of Probation Officers with less than
two years experience
27% 26% 32% 45% 46%
TuRnoVeR
Percentage of FTE employee turnover 13% 14% 13% 12% 14%
As at 30 June 2008, we employed 6,911 Full Time
Equivalent (FTE) employees. The majority of additional
staff, over the past five years, were a result of the new
community-based sentences and the commissioning of
new prison facilities. In total, including new positions and
turnover amongst existing staff, the recruitment over the
past five years has amounted to the addition of around
2,700 new staff.
We have improved the percentage of female staff
gradually from 35 per cent in 2004 to 39 per cent in 2008,
well ahead of the 2010 equal employment target of 38
per cent of female staff. The number of Mäori managers
36
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
sustAInABledeveloPment
(Departmental Intranet) pages with information and
guidance on how to use the new recycling scheme. The
system will be continually monitored with feedback from
staff, cleaners, the recycling contractor and building
services. This programme will run as a pilot before it
is implemented across the entire Department.
inTRoDuCeD WAYs To ReDuCe THe iMPACT oF ouR TRAVel
We completed a fleet management review, focussing on
efficiency and sustainability issues and implemented the
resulting recommendations. This fleet management
review included agreement to comply with the proposed
Ministry of Transport 2011 Standard for CO2 and fuel
economy, taking advantage of existing syndicated
procurement options for fuel and vehicle purchase, and
to manage vehicle fleet in-house using a leased database
to ensure progress could be measured and reported on.
We plan to develop a workplace travel plan to reduce our
emissions from domestic and international transport with
an aim to reduce kilometres travelled by 15 per cent.
WoRkeD ToWARD DeVeloPMenT oF ouR eneRgY sTRATegY
We are enhancing the existing energy strategy with a
view to identifying specific initiatives to reduce carbon
emissions that meet the Government’s sustainable
development policies. Based on the Government’s energy
and sustainability strategies, we have now developed an
energy / carbon cost picture toward 2015. The completion
date for a draft strategy was extended due to the
introduction of a range of government sustainability
policies that needed to be worked through to understand
the overall impact of these on the Department and the
new energy strategy.
CoMPliAnCe WiTH susTAinABle PRoCuReMenT PoliCY
We began revising our procurement rules with a view to
align them with the Government’s sustainability and new
procurement policies. In the first quarter of the coming
financial year the revised policy and rules will be finalised
and consultation undertaken, prior to approval of the
policy and rules by the Department’s Executive
Management Team.
Sustainable development is about actions that maintain
and mutually reinforce economic, environmental, cultural
and social conditions. We support the Government in
recognising that New Zealand’s future prosperity depends
on long-term sustainable strategies for the economy,
society, environment, culture and our way of life.
Delivery of our core services contribute primarily to
social and cultural sustainability. Examples include
rehabilitation programmes for offenders, units that focus
on specific cultural needs and initiatives that build staff
capability. In order to progress our overall contribution
to sustainability, we undertook specific initiatives on
addressing environmental and economic sustainability.
ouR CoMMiTMenT To goVT3
We align our sustainability activities to the goals
and directives of the Ministry for the Environment’s
Govt3 and the Carbon Neutral Public Service (CNPS)
Programme. The CNPS programme focuses on moving
public service agencies towards carbon neutrality. The
Department is required to prepare an annual carbon
inventory (foot print) and a carbon reduction plan
targeting energy use, waste and transport solutions
in order to reduce its carbon foot print. The Govt3
Programme focuses on four main areas where
government impacts on the environment: waste, building,
transport and procurement. As part of our commitment
to the Government’s sustainability programmes, we
annually update and deliver on a Sustainable Action Plan.
Fitting solar water-heating systems to prisons and
designing highly efficient hot water systems for its newest
prisons have won the Department the Ministry for the
Environment’s 2007 Govt3 Sustainable Improvement in
Energy Efficiency Award.
inTRoDuCeD sYsTeMs To ReDuCe ouR WAsTe
During 2008, we designed and implemented a Waste
Management / Recycling Programme at head office.
During this process, paper recycling, desk based recycling
and kitchen recycling stations were installed. Prior to
implementation, a Waste Assessment was completed
as means of establishing a baseline. We appointed a
recycling contractor and introduced Corrnet
37
par
t a
: Co
ntr
ibu
tio
n t
o o
utC
om
es
Department of Corrections 2007/08 Annual Report
The Department’s Corporate Travel policy has been
reviewed to ensure it aligned with the Government’s
sustainable policies and procurement guidelines. The
Corporate Travel Policy will be reviewed to align the
policy with the Department’s Travel Plan.
iDenTiFieD WAYs To FuRTHeR ReDuCe ouR iMPACT on THe enViRonMenT
Opportunities were identified to reduce the impact on
the environment of Corrections Inmate Employment
prison-based industries and, where possible,
were implemented on a sector-by-sector basis. These
included Engineering, Timber, Internal Services and
Primary Sectors.
ouR enViRonMenTAl iMPACT
As one of New Zealand’s largest organisations, we
acknowledge that our activities have a substantial impact
on the environment.
We support the Government’s strategy to demonstrate
government leadership on sustainability by moving the
public service towards carbon neutrality.
As a participant in the Ministry for the Environment’s
Govt3 Programme, we report progress against key
sustainable practice indicators through the completion
of an annual Govt3 survey. Our performance against
these practices is outlined below.
Please note: * denotes figures for head office only.
nuMBeR oF sTAFF (as at 30 June) 2007/08
Total number of FTE Department
employees
6,911
nuMBeR oF oFFenDeRs (as at 30 June) 2007/08
Prison-based offenders 7,887
Community-based offenders 33,155
eneRgY use 2007/08
Prisons energy use (kWh)
Electricity 40,134,942
Gas 48,242,454
Coal 2,364,977
LPG 9,774,097
Diesel Heating Oil 9,976,877
Head office energy use (kWh) 1,502,939
Community Probation centres energy
use (kWh)
4,155,364
Total energy use 116,151,650
WAsTe* 2007/08
Waste to landfill (tonnes) 34.36
Fuel ConsuMPTion (litres) 2007/08
Petrol 933,534
Diesel 308,008
LPG 9,974
DisTAnCes TRAVelleD (kms) 2007/08
Taxi travel 411,505
Rental cars 1,649,593
Vehicles in fleet 13,325,584
Domestic flights 13,983,045
Trans-Tasman flights 561,207
International flights 455,712
B38